The Best Wedding Planners in Durham Region
When it comes to planning your wedding, there are so many moving pieces involved. Because of this, the thought of sitting down to even start planning your wedding can be overwhelming. However, it doesn’t have to be that way! Your wedding should be that one day where you get to experience to the fullest, being immersed in each moment without worrying if the day will go smoothly. Making the investment in having an exceptional wedding planner to help guide you through the process is something I highly recommend to every couple who wants a stress-free wedding! There are numerous wedding planners in Durham Region, so I understand it can be overwhelming to narrow down your search. Through research and first-hand experience working with wedding planners, I’ve compiled this list of the best wedding planners in Durham Region you need to consider in 2022.
The Best Wedding Planners in Durham Region
1. Velvet Bordeaux Events
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Ashley from Velvet Bordeaux Events for Maria & Gabriel’s wedding and our winter-styled shoot! Ashley is incredibly talented, very organized with a keen eye for detail, and is just a great person to interact with. Her work has landed on publications including Elegant Wedding and Hitched, and she has also been awarded the Durham Region Readers’ Choice Award from 2019 to 2021. Rest assured, working with Ashley will allow you to live in the moment and not worry about what’s going on behind the scenes!
1. What is your philosophy for wedding planning?
Weddings are an extension of who you are, and not just you but you and your partner. It is a way to share a glimpse of your life together with your closest friends and family. Although wedding planning is one of the most daunting things you will face, it is not as scary as you think! When you take a step back from the wedding as a whole and break it into parts, the attainability then becomes within arms reach. My philosophy is simple; gather information, create a vision, bring resources to the clients and make the vision come to life. I have a very hands-off visionary approach in the sense that I do the work so that you don’t have to. Your biggest task would be opening up and letting me know you, who you are, and what you are about so I can quite literally bring your dreams to life.
2. What do you want potential clients to know about you and your client experience when they work with you?
You are never just a client, you are so much more than that! I start each business relationship as I would a personal relationship – I want to get to know you, what you do, how you met, what your favourite food is, etc. This is not just a business transaction – this is a relationship, a foundation we are building so our bonds are unbreakable throughout the entire planning process. This is so important to me because when the big day comes around, I will know you so well that with a simple raise of an eyebrow or wiggle of a nose, I will know exactly what you are thinking without you having to say a thing at all! That’s what makes a good planner – we make sure to eliminate any mishaps before they happen and what better way to do that than by essentially reading your mind!
3. Current favourite wedding trends?
My current favourite wedding trend today would have to be Baby’s Breath! I absolutely adore the fluffy cloud feeling that baby’s breath gives (when done right). It can turn your wedding from elegant beauty to instant jaw-dropping luxe and if you want to take it a step further, try hanging installments of florals. Centerpieces are great but imagine a centerpiece that floats above your table! Another favourite for me would be Full Weekend Weddings. For the last two years we have been so deprived of travel, in-person socialization, and pure celebration. Why limit yourselves and your loved ones to just one day when you can make it an entire weekend affair! And finally, this is a trend for weddings this year but has always been a favourite of mine; Themed Weddings. I adore when couples give their day a theme because it truly brings out their character. The wedding then becomes so unique that you would never see it duplicated!
2. Events by Sarah Megan
Working with Sarah is always a pleasure, as I’ve personally had the chance to work with Sarah for Maya & Steve’s Ultimate Engagement Experience! Sarah’s work can be found in various features including Today’s Bride and Elegant Wedding, and she was previously awarded the Durham Region Readers’ Choice Award in 2020. Sarah is a very passionate organizer with a keen eye for detail and strives to relieve the stress and burden of wedding planning while ensuring that the vision for your special day is brought to life!
1. What is your philosophy for wedding planning?
Every wedding is unique and is an expression of that couple. I want my couples to have fun while planning their wedding.
2. What do you want potential clients to know about you and your client experience when they work with you?
It is an honour to be a part of someone’s wedding. I don’t take that responsibility lightly. Wedding planning can be overwhelming, especially if the couple has a lot going on. My goal is to make it as stress-free as possible. I want them to enjoy it. If I have been hired for Full Wedding Planning, I try to go through the vendor categories with the couples, 1-2 categories at a time so that they aren’t drowning in information and details. On the wedding day, I take care of the little details and work with the vendors so that my clients don’t have to stress about their vendor team showing up or knowing where to set up. I look after all that so the couple can enjoy their day with all their friends and family.
3. Current favourite wedding trends?
Intimate weddings. Thanks to the pandemic, couples have had to re-evaluate their guest lists to fit with the restrictions that may have been in place at the time. With restrictions being lifted, there are many couples who are excited to go back to having larger weddings, and there are some that want to still keep things small. Whether you are having a small or large wedding, you can still make it an intimate wedding by personalizing certain details. Some ideas include personalized notes or gifts for each guest. Another trend I am loving is seeing more pops of colour in wedding decor. Instead of doing your standard white or ivory linens, couples are choosing brighter colours and patterns. There are so many more options out there now to do really fun tableware and glassware settings. No two weddings are the same.
3. Anamika Events
Ever since planning her own wedding in 2014, Ishita formed a true passion for coordinating beautiful events that celebrate all things love! Her work has landed her features on WedLuxe, Must be Kismet, and Today’s Bride. She has made it her mission to create the most perfect and memorable day for you and your family that is completely stress-free!
1. What is your philosophy for wedding planning?
My philosophy is very simple – it’s having fun and making the process as enjoyable as possible for my clients. It’s a milestone in your life that you will never get back so try to enjoy the process as much as you can even when things get hectic.
2. What do you want potential clients to know about you and your client experience when they work with you?
What you see is what you get. I am a very friendly, positive person who always tries to find solutions to every problem. I try to be my clients’ best friend throughout the process and am always available for them whenever they need me. I’m here for my clients through the ups and downs!
3. Current favourite wedding trends?
Weekday weddings and unique guest experiences from intimate weddings.
4. Alfresco Weddings and Events
At Alfresco Weddings and Events, the focus is on creating an unforgettable first day of the rest of your lives together. Liz has always had a passion for details and is there to ensure your day is a true reflection of who you are as a couple. When you work with Alfresco Weddings and Events, Liz and her team work tirelessly towards a perfectly planned wedding so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed during such an exciting time in your life!
1. What is your philosophy for wedding planning?
Ultimately, it is a very time-consuming experience and I’m here to help clients navigate, organize, and plan in a systematic approach through steps. It’s exciting to start, however, it can get extremely overwhelming. With wedding planning, there are so many elements to consider. Everyone has a budget and not everyone realizes the expenses that come with weddings and being realistic with it. For example, for someone coming in with a full planning job, they have these visions – Pinterest is awesome, everything on Instagram is wonderful, but it’s not always realistic to meet their budget. I have certain steps to find out their budget, their vision, and their top priorities. From there, allocate their budget to what’s most important and making that happen for them, one step at a time, so it’s not an overwhelming thought process.
2. What do you want potential clients to know about you and your client experience when they work with you?
I understand this is a very special day for my clients. I am very vested in them having the best experience on their wedding day. I want them to feel confident, not stress about the details, and just know that I have their back. I don’t want them to worry about “is this happening, is that happening?” Behind the scenes, we got them covered, not just for the timeline, but that all the vendors know what needs to be done. I love weddings especially because it’s such an emotional and happy experience. I get really happy to see all the special moments of them walking down the aisle, hearing the vows and speeches. I love to see that. We want them to enjoy their day.
3. Current favourite wedding trends?
During the pandemic, a lot of people had to downscale and I saw a lot of pop-up weddings. They were a huge hit. They were smaller weddings where it was nicely packaged and all taken care of while getting all the key elements of a traditional wedding, which I think is amazing. Even though the thought of eloping is very romantic, you don’t have your family there and you’re missing out on the cake cutting and champagne toast. But with a pop-up wedding, you can do a cake cutting, first dance, celebrate, and have a nicely decorated ceremony spot for a fraction of the price. Even though they are smaller, it’s still very much a celebration.
5. Marielle Gourlay Events
Marielle has had the opportunity to plan beautiful events for over 15 years! She is the recipient of the 2019 & 2020 Toronto’s Choice Award, has been a Top 3 Wedding Planner in Durham Region from 2016 to 2020, and her work can also be seen on theKnot.com! She looks forward to making your dream event come to life filled with superior quality and intricate attention to detail!
6. Pippa Girling Weddings & Events
Pippa Girling dedicates herself to delivering events that are organized, unique, memorable, and stress-free. She strives to make every effort for each couple to have fun and enjoy their dream day! Her main goal is to take the pressure off you, your bridal party, and your family on your wedding day.
7. Dion Events
Shani and her team from Dion Events work closely with their clients to ensure their vision and budgets stay on track! Their mission is for you to be a guest at your own wedding, making the whole process stress-free. Dion Events is the recipient of the Durham Region Reader’s Choice Award in 2020 and 2021 for their wedding planning services and has been a top-rated wedding planning service in Durham Region since 2019! They understand that there is no “one size fits all” solution and each client is unique, so their solutions reflect just that.
8. Hazel Boivin Weddings & Events
Hazel’s goal is to capture and showcase each person’s unique story, experience, and adventure through their wedding! A Top 3 Wedding Planner in 2018, Hazel loves creating unique events from the roots up and witnessing everything come together while ensuring a flawless event and stress-free wedding planning experience.
9. Gallery Events
Suzanne, owner of Gallery Events, seeks to elevate your wedding experience through strategic planning and design. The goal of the Gallery Events team is to elevate life events that are truly memorable and stress-free. A Durham Reader’s Choice Diamond Winner Award in 2021, Gallery Events is a preferred vendor at Parkwood Estate and Oshawa Convention Centre, which are a couple of wedding venues in Durham Region.
FAQ’s About Wedding Planners
1. Do I really need a wedding planner?
Of course, you don’t have to have a wedding planner. If you feel like you are the type of person who likes to plan and organize events and gets excited about planning your own wedding, by all means, go for it! However, if you want to be fully present on your wedding day and experience it to the fullest, then hiring a wedding planner or at the very least, a day-of coordinator is highly recommended. This will relieve you of any stress and worry. Your wedding day only happens once and with a professional wedding planner, you can have peace of mind knowing that your day will be taken care of and will flow according to plan. When you work with any of these wedding planners in Durham Region, they’ve got you.
2. How long before a wedding should I hire a wedding planner?
Like many of your other wedding vendors, the earlier in the wedding planning process, the better – especially with a wedding planner. This can typically be about 12 months out from your wedding. If you plan to hire a planner for full wedding planning, expect an increased level of time commitment from your planner. The more time your planner has to work with, the better.
3. How much does a wedding planner cost?
Pricing depends on the planner’s client experience, brand, and level of services. For Full Planning services, expect to spend anywhere between $3,000 upwards to $10,000+ for higher-end planning services. For Partial Planning services, expect a price point starting at around $2,000.
4. How much does a day-of coordinator cost?
For only day-of coordination, this can often be secured for around $1,000 to $2,000+.
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[…] stages of the wedding, she emphasized how important this was to her wedding planner, Ashley from Velvet Bordeaux Events. Shai from Sweet & Shy Cakes did an absolutely fantastic job with their cake, which was topped […]